Maybe it’s because many of us have been cooped up for the last year and half or so, but we’ve noticed a lot more local breweries throwing Oktoberfest celebrations this year. The fest-ivities start this weekend, and here’s a selection. Some are ticketed, some aren’t, and phew, this is a lot.
We didn’t intend to do this in alphabetical order, but first up is Silver Spring’s Astrolab, which is throwing a party for their oak-aged Oktoberfest beer, Eisbachwelle, on Saturday, September 11th, from noon to closing. Their Fest & Franks will have drafts, cans, footlong franks, pretzels, and maybe some super cool ice cream sandwiches.
The next weekend offers up a bevy of options. Here’s what’s happening September 18th and 19th.
It’s not a brewery, but Wundergarten kicks things off on Friday the 17th. Beers include classics from Spaten and Weihenstephan, as well as Devils Backbone, Port City , and Red Bear Oktoberfests. Beer flights will be available, and you can purchase beers in one-liter steins. More details at their Eventbrite, and the party runs until October 10th.
Fair Winds’ Nautifest is also on the 17th. They’ll have steins for sale, and a raffle in which you can win a boot. Tell Banich “it’s the bubble.” Del Ray’s Live Oak provides the food, and it’s an all-day affair.
Hellbender: From 5-10pm on the 17th they’ll have Singers’ Meats on site and with festbier, hefeweizen, helles, kolsch, and maibock on tap (and more than a few of those in cans) they’ll have a lot of options.
Hyattsville’s Franklin’s will bring back their nickel beer weekend from the 17th to 19th. That’s right, bring a stein or other vessel and your first beer is a nickel. They’ll have German food specials, too.
Bluejacket: “In honor of the occasion, we’re tapping 4 unfiltered German-inspired beers in rubber-clad Fraconian-style gravity kegs! We will also feature live Oompah music from The Edelweiss Band and The Polka Terps, plus a wonderful selection of Bavarian-inspired dishes from the kitchen. Hill House (Festbier), Small Conversations (Helles Lager), Radio Cure (Dry-Hopped Pilsner) and Pattern Skies (Weissbier) will be available in special Bluejacket one liter steins, while supplies last. Guests can take home these limited edition mugs with the purchase of their first large format beer. Oktoberfest is free to attend, with all beer and food priced a la carte. 16 oz. cans and 5 gallon mini-kegs of Hill House will also be available for purchase to-go. The beer list is subject to change. Lederhosen optional!” 11am-3pm on the 18th.
Lost Rhino: “Our 2021 RhinO’fest will be a two-day event taking place at Lost Rhino Brewing Co. in Ashburn on Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19, 12 – 7 PM each day.” German-style lager, glassware, and food are included in the price of admission.
DC’s second-newest brewery is also getting in on the fun on the 18th, brewing up a hefeweizen, a helles, and a festbier. But wait, there’s more! Other Half is bringing in a collaboration pilsner, keeping the Teutonic theme, and beers from some of their friends, including locals like DC Brau, and Atlanta lagermeisters Halfway Crooks. 11am on the 18th.
Owen’s Ordinary is also getting in on the action on the 18th, tapping both Maryland and German beers alongside German-inspired food. Pay as you go.
Wheatland Spring’s Oktoberfest is a ticketed event, with families encouraged to come on Sunday the 19th. Tickets include glassware, or proper steinware if you’re quick on the draw, and your first half liter of beer.
Take a few days off and get ready for the next weekend’s events.
With two locations, Atlas has twice the partying. The first is from 6-9pm on the 23rd at their Half Street location. Yes, that’s a Thursday because why not. Ivy City’s celebration takes place in the month of October, on the 2nd. Tickets are available for both via Toast.
Guinness in Baltimore is throwing an Oktoberfest party spanning two long weekends, Thursday the 23rd to Sunday the 26th and then again a week later, from September 30th to October 2nd. Pay as you go, and look for “a socially-distanced outdoor beer garden and canning *three* iconic German-style beers: Festbier, Helles Lager and Schwarzbier. Enjoy locally made Baltimore Blonde bratwursts as part of a hearty German menu fit for ringing in the fall.”
Rustico Slater’s Lane is throwing a party with Port City on Friday the 24th, from 4-7pm. They’ll have Port City’s Oktoberfest, German Pils, and Hefeweizen, along with some of Germany’s finest. Pay as you go.
Now that 3 Stars is all in on lagers, they’re throwing an Oktoberfest party, too. In true 3 Stars fashion, you’ll get 3/4 of a liter of their festbier as opposed to half a liter. Keep the glass, enjoy the food and music. 12-8pm on Saturday the 25th. Tickets in the tweet below.
Rocket Frog brings the party a bit closer, to The Loop in Old Town Alexandria, from 12-6pm on the 25th. That’s very thoughtful of them, and they’d like a headcount. Rather party at the brewery in Sterling? Frogtoberfest is pay as you go on October 2nd, and features German beer and music, plus, you guessed it, steins.
This whole thing started as a days-long bender leading up to a wedding, and Silver Branch recognizes that, which is why their rendition runs from September 30th to October 11th. Check their socials for details as we get closer, and please be safe out there.
Alexandria’s Hops N Shine is going to the sampler route. From 1-6pm on the 2nd $20 gets you a tasting glass and six tickets, with additional tickets available for purchase. Brewery reps will be on site with swag, and there’s a stein hoisting competition. Look for at least a dozen Oktoberfest beers on tap, local, national, and imports, and German food.
Shelter at The Roost, Saturday, October 2nd: “Shelter is pouring 8 traditional German beers, including: Schönram Gold, Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen, and Rothaus Eiszäpfle. Red Apron will be supplying festive food specials: German Potato Salad, Brats, and Bierwurst. Featured beers will be available in special Shelter large format mugs, while supplies last. Guests can take home these limited edition glasses with the purchase of their first large format beer.” Pay as you go, with a chance to win two VIP passes to Snallygaster!
Also on the 2nd, Ocelot is throwing a “5, 6, 6.5 Anniversary, Oktoberfest, Flea Market, Fall Festival Extravaganza.” What exactly does that entail? We don’t know! But hey, good beer, good food, an opportunity to shop local,… count us in. Pay as you go.
What if a whole city threw a party? And what if that city was an hour from DC? Frederick, Maryland’s Oktoberfest runs from Friday, October 1 to Saturday the 2nd, and features a mix of local and international breweries. Ticketed and family-friendly.
Port City’s annual event is on the 2nd, too, and features a stein hoisting competition and costume contest. You’ll see their Oktoberfest beer, alongside their Hefeweizen, German-style Pils, Schwartzbier, and… kegs of Colossal IX, a weizenbock. Pay as you go, and Haute Dogs and Fries provides the sausages.
Are there more Oktoberfest events out there? You bet. Watch this space as we add them!
